Safety and Access Coordinator – Cross-border Sudan / Chad

We are currently recruiting a Safety and Access Coordinator to join our Sudan & Chad team.

This is a full-time position, based in Chad and requiring travel to Darfur, Sudan.

At Relief International, we are committed to building a representative, inclusive and authentic workplace. We strongly encourage applications from candidates from minoritized backgrounds those who bring lived experience of the contexts in which we work.

This role is classified as requiring advanced pre-employment checks.

About Relief International

Relief International (RI) is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing.

Our team of more than 4000 staff and local volunteers work in 14 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education and Livelihoods programming that creates the foundation for community resilience.

We do this by working with local actors to develop safe and inclusive local programming that is evidence based, conflict sensitive, climate smart, and reaches those in need.

Relief International is an alliance of four organizations with one shared mission, comprised of Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, Relief International-UK and Relief International-Europe, which operate under a one-team concept under a single senior leadership team.

About the Opportunity

Relief International is seeking a Security Coordinator for Sudan who will be responsible for the implementation of RI’s Safety and Risk Management (SRM), ensuring and managing oversight of safety and access policies and strategies, developing contextual analysis, building capacity within the Sudan offices safety and access teams, and developing and implementing context appropriate RI safety protocols and procedures (SOPs) across RI’s field and program locations in Sudan. This position is based in Darfur, with a significant portion of time spent visiting field locations and providing recommendations and guidance to RI’s Sudan Country Security and Access Manager.

The position requires that the staff provide direct support to the Sudan Senior Management Team (SMT) and Country Security and Access Manager (CSAM) for the oversight of operations in Darfur, with a focus on North Darfur. In addition, he/she will work closely with staff, partners, communities, and peers to enhance the capacity of the sub offices, providing routine and timely analysis and incident reports to the CSAM, deploying as needed in support of Darfur teams, and developing regionally consistent strategies for the management of safety and security.

Your Responsibilities

Security Risk Management and Planning

• Design, establish and maintain safety support systems, conducting scheduled and ad-hoc field visits at each program site, including central and sub-offices and program delivery locations for safety and access assessments, safety-related audits and awareness training across
• Conduct a comprehensive safety assessments including, but not only, with the local counterpart and audit of all existing safety and access policies and procedures and their application and practice by all staff at program sites, offices, residencies/guest houses, and with respect to all vehicles, drivers and standing SOPs; provides and implements recommendations in consultation with the CSAM to make changes in order to meet the compliancy with RI Field Operational Procedures, templates and SOPs

Advise and Reporting

• Leads an ongoing process of design, establishment, and review of safety policies and procedures to ensure understanding, “buy-in “, and compliance by staff; routinely revises safety and access plans to adapt to evolving safety situations in conjunction with country counterparts and CSAM.
• Maps and reports safety incidents, ensures weekly safety and access reports in all Darfur locations, and understands trends and threats; facilitates the development of situation-specific, coordinated evacuation plans; writes well-researched security incident reports for review by

Strategy development

• Supports RI country teams with the overall country strategy.
• Set out a clear vision for knowledge and skills transfer to field
• Work with the country team and state Area Managers (AMs) leads to ensure funding for humanitarian access is built into all new

Analysis and Assessment

• Ensure that the analysis of the Darfur context remains relevant and up to date with RI programs. Advise CSAM, Area Manager(s) on any important developments. Advocate for contingency planning where necessary and support teams in thinking about scenario planning and trend analysis.
• Ensure application of situation appropriate rules and guidance per RI’s Field Security SOP’s, RI Global Safety & Safety and UNDSS; conducts visits to RI’s field project offices and residential sites in Darfur to assess safety and access conditions; develops comprehensive risk assessments in conjunction, but not only, with country counterparts, leading to the updating of effective safety plans, train colleagues on the safety plans and ensure
• Ensure humanitarian access approaches are responsive to the local context and include overarching community engagement
• Provide relevant input on all existing and new program concerning Sudan both with pre -analysis prior to go no-go decisions as well as full involvement in budgeting at the time of proposal writing to ensure staff safety needs are met.

Capacity building and gap filling

• Train, supervise, and mentor national field staff and Darfur safety staff/focal Recommend and/or provide staff training on safety and access in a proactive and positive manner that promotes inclusion, participation, and leadership among the entire RI team, including expatriates, relocatable and local national staff.
• Takes a lead on very regular safety and access drills for support offices inside Darfur and supporting hubs: conducts safety and access drills, trains country counterparts in how to conduct drills, and ensures that counterparts implement drills regularly.
• Work with programs and operations colleagues in ensuring constructive relations with de facto authorities at state and district

Stakeholder Coordination and Representation

• Ensure RI is linked via all inter-agency and safety and access coordination lists and forums to ensure RI’s safety presence in the INGO community within the areas of operation.
• Liaises with local and regional UN & inter-agency safety personnel on safety & access matters for country programs; advises CSAM on safety issues; provides safety briefings and updates for RI staff and visitors.

RI SRM Compliance

• Ensure that all Darfur states meet compliance. At a minimum, biannual Safety Risk Assessment (SRA) for all areas concerned are updated, as are Darfur Local safety plans, RIGSS, etc. Furthermore, the implementation of compliance is considered mandatory in all regions. Ensure that Sudan RI teams regularly comply and carry out evacuation drills, headcounts, travel authorisation, etc

About You

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree with demonstrated experience in safety and access management in the humanitarian sector.
• Proven minimum of three (3) years’ experience in a similar role with equal responsibilities within an NGO, UN or IO in high-risk country Previous experience in Sudan and/or Chad is an asset.
• Proven ability in safety & access management and crisis management in an unstable and insecure environment. Previous experiences managing humanitarian crisis/emergencies an added
• Effective technical/instructional skills and experience in delivering training and conducting assessments
• Strong analytical, organisational, and leadership skills with the ability to manage complex tasks independently.
• Excellent communication (interpersonal, verbal, and written) and computer skills (MS Office).
• Experience in a multi-cultural environment is
• Fit to travel.

Desirable criteria

• Previous experience in Sudan and/or Chad is a significant asset.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; Arabic language skills are a significant asset, as is French
• Highly developed interpersonal, collaboration and communication skills, including influencing, negotiating and mentoring.
• Willingness to work and travel frequently in often challenging and insecure environments.
• Formal safety training (e.g., HEAT, personal safety, first aid).
• Good information technology skills for specific tools (e.g., mapping, communications).

RI Values

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Sustainability

How to apply
To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button in the job advert page.

• You will be asked to upload a CV and Cover Letter.
• The cover letter should be one page, and explain why you are interested in this post with Relief International and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.

As a humanitarian organization, Relief International is committed to the safeguarding of all those we come into contact with through our work. We are committed to the core humanitarian principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and uphold the values and behaviours outlined in the Code of Conduct.

Recruitment to all roles in Relief International include a criminal records self-declaration, references, and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checks.